BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 1745
By: S. Turner
04-11-95
Committee Report (Amended)


BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B can lead to chronic liver disease or liver cancer and
is highly infectious. Traditionally, public health strategies for
controlling hepatitis B have focused on immunizing persons at risk
of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. However, this
strategy has proven ineffective in stemming the spread of the
disease. Public health experts now believe the most effective long-term strategy is to immunize children starting at an early age.

PURPOSE

H.B. 1745 would add hepatitis B to the immunizations required for
Texas school children.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill grants additional
rulemaking authority to the Texas Board of Health in SECTION 2.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Sec. 2.09(a), Education Code, to add hepatitis
B to the list of immunizations that school children in Texas must
have to be eligible to attend school.

SECTION 2. States that immunization against hepatitis B is not
required until a date specified in rules adopted by the Texas Board
of Health. Allows the rules to stagger the implementation of the
requirement for immunization against hepatitis B as added by
SECTION 1 of the bill.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
           Effective upon passage.

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

The amendment to H.B. 1745 adds SECTION 2 to the bill. It states
that hepatitis B immunization is not required until a date
specified by the Texas Board of Health, by rule. The amendment also
allows implementation of the requirement to be staggered.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 1745 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on
April 11, 1995. The committee considered one amendment to the bill.
The amendment was adopted without objection.

The following persons testified in favor of the bill:
Jean D. Neal Jr., representing SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals.
Lynn F. Lennox Jr., RPh., representing SmithKline Beecham
Pharmaceuticals.

The following person testified neutrally on the bill:
Diane Simpson, M.D., representing self and Texas Department of
Health.
Jan Ozias, representing self.

The bill was reported favorably as amended, with the recommendation
that it do pass and be printed, by a record vote of 6 Ayes, 0 Nays,
0 PNV, and 3 Absent.